softie trees

Last year, I bought the FaLaLaLa Felt book online before it came out in book form. I'm beginning to think a lot like Christmas in my head, so I pulled out some wool suiting material I bought in the ends section in the middle of a heat wave (hugely discounted!) and went to print out the pattern.

Oh. My. Goodness!! What trouble I had. My fault. Every time I scanned and tried to resize, it would come out the same size on the printed page. Frustrating. after 1 hour! Yes, 1 hour of cutting into my crafting alone time, I realized the problem: The printer was set on fit to page. So no matter what size it was configured to, it was going to be the same. I tell you so you don't have to go through it too! here endeth the lesson for today.

On to the project:

I had fun with my QuicKutz dies and have made quite a mess on the floor upstairs. But that is upstairs, not where we live everyday, so there it will stay.
A bit of reverse applique...


Here they are together. I call this my small size.


emm, I was so chatty at the beginning, I have nothing left to say!

Have a good weekend!
Amanda

Troop of monkeys

Yep, I just had to..


I think I had beginner's luck. Not so happy with the 2nd one. It is bigger, on purpose, but the pipe cleaners seems a little flimsy for the length.


But I love his attitude with the hat.


looks like these guys are gonna be trouble....


thanks for looking,
Amanda

needle felted sock monkey

look what I made...

No, not that, this...


I made his limbs with pipe cleaners so they're bendy.



so much fun to make. i think I'll make a few more for my gift cupboard. this one has already been loved and claimed!

have a great day!!
Amanda

Princess and the pea playset

First off, apologies for the poor photos. I took them in the back of the car while waiting for DH to come rescue me. More on that later.
Here is the princess and the Pea playset I got from the More Softies book. oops, the bag and tag I made for it....

Here it is with the mattresses and the pea.

And the princess. My goal was to give it with the book, but I didn't get out to look for one.

I will probably make up a few more of these sets and buy the books, but I think I will do the doll differently to make some string arms and legs. And not iron the mattresses after I line them with batting. it squishes the batting down to a non-fluffy mattress.

K, the car story. After church, I rush to the sailing club to pick up Rafael to take him to the bday party, get to the party, watch the pretty people play volleyball outside the building as I drive into the parking lot. On the high side of the sidewalk. Not the indented side for driving over. BANG!!! All the pretty people look over as I spin my tires to continue over the high part of the sidewalk. DRRAAAGGGG. I hear the scrape over the driveway. Get out, look under the car, don't see anything hanging. Take son into the party. As I come out, I notice something hanging from the front end of the car. Upon further inspection, it's a cover that is half off. The other half is screwed in real tight. I can't budge it. Then I notice the cover behind it is also looking a little crumpled. So I did what any damsel in distress would do. Called hubby to come. He came and took them off and I was on my way with only 1 hour, instead of 2, to do some damage at Fabricland. And that I did. There was a 40% off sale on almost everything. I didn't even go to the cotton fabric section. Just some tulle, jersey for a spinny dress I have in mind for Neve and found some purple wool felt in the remnant bin. DH thinks I should make a coat for Neve. I see a mat for a felted playset there instead. happy ending. Oh, I asked DH if he was worried when I called and said I had a problem. His response, " Well, how bad could it be? you weren't blubbering over the phone or anything!" God love him. So calm. I informed him that I probably wouldn't blubber. I would probably be yelling instead if it was anything bad. Touch wood, I don't know what I would be like in an unfortunate event.

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

it's a what????!!!!!

Remember this little fella from the More Softies book?

Well, here's my version.


I have to tell ya, it was kinda ify while I was making it. No one saw it as an elephant. The best one was my son who guessed a flamingo after i sewed the body together. It wasn't until the eyes that they got it.

But I don't care. It's going in my gift pile for some lucky kid who can love him as much as I do. lol


thanks for looking,
Amanda

Betz's bunny and some gnomes

I couldn't resist making this quick sew bunny that Betz White has on her site
here

I used some fleece I had on hand. Easy sew up and well loved. Now I have to make a turquoise one for son.

And I made 2 more gnomes today. I love the hair on the red one. Just looped some thread and tied a knot in the middle before gluing to the head. These wooden doll shapes are a little tapered. I don't like the shape as well as the straight ones. I need to work on the pattern a little.

have a great weekend.
Amanda

oh Mr. Fox, where have you been?

I've been working on this guy for a few days.

I know, he looks like a mouse! But he's a fox. I hope I don't give him some identity crisis. We'll just have to see what his new owner thinks he is and I'll go with that.
Is he a bad fox/mouse?


I got to use buttons with this one. Makes the eye thing a whole lot easier. The movable arms and monogramed heart. I wish I could have had him a little longer.


Here's a look at how long his legs are and how tiny he is....


Too big to sit in the plant.


Sorry for the flash photos. It's a dull day and he had to go to a birthday party.

Mr. Fox/mouse is from the book, "Sew me, Love me"

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

hear the lion's roar... ahem

After putting my lion in a bag for a week, I finally finished him. Sometimes, I just get stuck. It was 3 days before I tried the arms. When i did it was so easy. then another 5 days to try the eyes. I didn't want to use buttons, so the shape of the eye, should I use a different colour, felt, embroider??
I was due to meet the owner today, so I HAD to do it. At 11pm last night.


I'm ok with it. I added subtle eyebrows and a nose. Here's another look at the tail...


his arms move so he can ask for a hug.. ahh...


he's quite at home in the jungle...


And likes to pose for modeling gigs. What a charmer. I put a felt heart on him. I think this will be my signature. I did it
here for Bella's friend, Lily.


The pattern comes from the book "Sew me, Love me"

Thanks for looking, Off to finish my BIG turtle!
Amanda

brave little lion

Remember this??


here's a work in progress...


He needs eyes.. I can't figure what to do with the eyes.... I don't want to use buttons as it's for a little boy. Maybe some felt circles with an X? just embroider some? have to play around a bit, but my mind is stuck.


It's also stuck on how to sew the arms on. I have to read the front of the book again (Sew Me, Love Me) and get a doll needle.


look at the little tail. I love the knot on top.

So there you have it.. a work in progress..
thanks for looking,
Amanda

a friend for Bella

I finished Lily last night. It's so fun to see them get a little personality when you embellish them...


So with her scarf and little rosette in her ear, she went on a luncheon date with Bella.


They enjoyed a little walk at the and and fed the ducks.


And went home for a little sleepover...


You can see Bella's page here

They will be separated soon as Lily goes to live with another little girl.

Now I must go think of lions for an order. An Orange lion...

Rafael's Softee

I was visiting my usual blogs for some ideas for craft day. We've been a little lax on that since Christmas. With the bitter wind today, this is what we did..
Home made softees.


I followed the great tutorial on Valerie's blog


She has easy, fun, frugal ideas to share with the kids. Rafael loved it. especially the stuffing part. He was amazed at how long and how much stuffing it took. The front fabric is from a very huge Ikea curtain. I've been using it a lot and still have 1 and a half curtains. Love a great deal from repurposing.

Go take a look yerself and spend some time at Valerie's.

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

Meet Bella....

Yesterday, I was thinking and breathing this little pup. I just couldn't wait for the kids to go to bed to work on her. I thought of the fabrics I had and what combo to use.... she consumed me.


I'm so glad she's finally done. Doesn't she have such personality?


Even when she's sleeping...


She was named by my daughter.


I was really surprised how small she was. And in true form, I can't wait until I can make another one, b/c now I know what I'm doing. I had to take the body apart and make it bigger to fit the arms and legs inside to sew it as suggested by the book. And a zipper foot would be a great help. I'm also going to machine sew the ears on before I sew the head together.

Yep, I'm in love... with a bella.

Oh, I got the pattern from the book "Sew me, Love me" DH got me for Christmas.. There are a few more in there that are starting to get my attention.

thanks for looking,
Amanda

Softee trees

And because it's not Christmas unless there is last minute making..... like up till 2am making.....





And I had a little help with this.... my body was a humming....


Happy christmas!
thanks for looking,
Amanda